1. Wind Turbines Are they COST effective?
By Troy Tucker
11/8/2016

2. INSTALLED PROJECT COST
The Installed Project Cost of electricity produced from wind turbines has dropped dramatically in the last 34 years. Since 1982 the cost has been reduced from 5000 dollars to around 1700 dollars per kilowatt.

3. THAT’S GOOD, RIGHT? CAN IT GET BETTER?
It’s getting cheaper but, does it compare to electricity produced from other Energy Sources?

4. The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009
It demanded that states meet certain deadlines for production of green energy. It also gave hundreds of millions of dollars to companies to research and develop better ways to produce electricity. This is called “Subsidies”. With the help of these subsidies companies could develop more efficient wind turbines and designs.

5. STATES GENERATING WIND ENERGY
By 2010, all but 12 states have wind farms producing electricity and many more are in the works. With the clock ticking to produce clean energy; this created competition between companies to create more efficient and cheaper turbines. With competition comes cheaper prices.

6. COST COMPARISON
As you can see, electricity created from Combined Cycle Gas Turbines is the cheapest around dollars for a Megawatt per hour and Onshore Wind electricity is around dollars for a Megawatt per hour. Combined Cycle Gas Turbine electricity is still cheaper but not by much, and with the technology getting better I think we will see this gap close.

7. Cost Breakdown
This even goes further to show what it costs per kW-hr from the type of power plant that produced it. If you look on your power bill, you get charged for how many kW’s are used for the month. Other than Geothermal, Wind and Natural Gas are the cheapest.

8. CONCLUSION Is electricity from wind turbines cost effective?
When I first started this project, I thought there was no way it could be cost effective. Somehow the taxpayer is funding these wind farms. Then, the more I researched and learned, I found that yes, Wind Turbines are cost comparable and yes the taxpayer is paying for them. But, I also learned that since the early 1900’s our Federal Government has been giving coal, gas and oil companies Trillions of dollars in subsidies as well. This is something I didn’t know. Our government has been paying companies to improve and develop these commodities all along which is what makes it affordable for the everyday person.

9. Cited Sources
“2015 Wind Technologies Market Report”
Wiser, Ryan, and Mark Bolinger “The Cost of Wind Energy in the U.S.” / Research and Data/ Fact Sheets/ The Falling Costs of Wind Energy/ accessed on Nov 6th, 2016
Monk, M Ryan. Pipeline & Gas Journal. Apr2016, Vol. 243 Issue 4, p p.
“Renewable Energy Resources” energysources.com/ accessed on Nov 11th, 2016